Evaporating apparatus



(No Model.)

B. J. HOFFMAN.

BVAPORATING APPARATUS.

No. 405,738. Patented June 25, 1889.

m ce 1mm N. PETERS, PholoLilhngnphor. Wishillglon. D. C

, UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROSS J. HOFFMAN, OF BINGHAMTON, NE\V YORK.

EVAPO RATI N G APPARATU S.

firSPECIFIGATION "forming part of Letters Patent No. 405,738, dated June25, 1889. lsa. filed sa is, 1888. Serial No. 260,824. (No model.)

To aZZ :wZi/pm, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ROSS J. HOFFMAN, of

Binghamton, in the county of Broome and State of New York, have inventeda new and useful Improvement in Evaporating Apparatus; and I do herebydeclare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description ofthe same.

My invention relates to apparatus for reducinghydrocarbon oils to lowergravity.

The apparatus to which my invention appertains consists, substantially,of avessel or still fitted to contain the oil and to be subjected toheat, by which the lighterhydrocarbon vapors are driven oif. lVith thisclass of apparatus and in the treatment of oils therein there is aliability at some stage in the process that the oil will burn upon thebottom or heated sides of the still or other vessel, thereby discoloringand injuring the product.

The object of my invention is to provide means for preventing this; andmy invention consists, essentially, of a perforated pipe or passage inthe bottom of the still or against the part subjected to heat, havingthe perforations on the under side of the pipe, or on that side next tothe part subjected to heat, the pipe being connected with asteam-supply, so that the steam willbe directed against the bottom orside of the still and the oil thereby driven away from the bot-tom and.

prevented from burning thereon.

The accompanying drawings show a vertical transverse section of a stillcontaining my invention in Figure 1. Fig. 2 shows a plan view of thecoil of pipe. Fig. 3 shows an enlarged section of a perforated pipe.

In the drawings, A represents a suitable still for the distillation ofhydrocarbon oils. Underneath it is the apparatus for applying heat,which in this case is represented as a fire-box and grate. In the lowerpart of the still and close to the bottom thereof is a coil of pipe C,having outside connections with any suitable source of steanrsupply,either superheated or otherwise. The pipe is rep re sented in thedrawings as a coil; but it may be of any suitable form, provided it isarranged to substantially cover the entire surface of the bottom of thestill. It may be coiled spirally or be led back and forth, as

may be found most convenient to suit the shape of the bottom of thestill. The pipe is placed as near as practicable to the bottom withouttouching it, and may be raised from the bottom only the distancerequired by the thickness of thepipe-coupling-say one-fourth of an inch;but the distance is not essential, so long asthe conditions hereinafterspecified are maintained. For the purpose of keeping the bottom of thestill clear of the oil during the operation of the process, itisessential that the streams of steam should impinge against the whole ofthe bottom, so that their effect may be to keep the whole bottom clear,as they strike against it and force or drive the oil away from thebottom. As the action of the steam is by the force with which it issuesfrom the orifices from the pipe, the distance of the pipe from thebottom will depend upon the size of the orifices, their number in agiven amount of surface, and the force of the steam.

The result will be accomplished even if the pipe rests directly upon thebottom of the still; but it is essential that the orifices in the pipeshould open toward the bottom or the heated part, so that the steammaybe directed toward the part to which the heat is applied. The coil ofpipe is indicated in section in Fig. 3 at O, and the orilices therein atc.

The apparatus has been described as a still in which the heat is appliedunderneath. Obviously, however, the pipe may be applied in the samemanner to any surface, whether inclined or vertical of the still, on theoutside of which or around which the heat may be applied, the samecondition being maintained that the steam from the numerous orifices inthe pipe shall be directed against the inner surface of the heated walland shall substantially cover in its action the whole of that heatedsurface against which the oil rests.

I am aware that it is not new to discharge steam within a still in theprocess of distilling hydrocarbon oils for the purpose of carrying offthe lighter vapors.

I am aware of the patent of Trewby and Fenner, No. 252,981, granted bythe United States Patent Office on the 21st of January, 1882, for anapparatus for the distillation of coal-tar, in which patent pipes areshown arranged within the still and near its bottom,

product.

with small nozzlesseated upon the pipesparallel to the bottom, orperhaps at a slight inclination to the bottom, for the purpose ofmaintaining a film of steam underneath the heavy Viscid matters in thedistillation of coal-tar, and'to keep them from coking upon. the bottom.My invention differs from this in this particular point, that I provideholes in the steam-pipe opening directlyagainst the 3 bottom or partssubjected to heat, whereby the steam is caused to impinge directlyagainst the bottom instead of turning vup and rising j, through thelight oils which are subjected to treatment. The result of this is that"the bottom is kept clear or washed by the forcible discharge of steamagainst it, no part of the oil remaining upon the bottom .to bediscolored by the heat and therebyinjuring the The pipes containingthese discharge-orifices are, as shown, close to the innersurfaceofthebottom of the stilhand the steam is directly and forcibly dischargedagainst said surface in jets which are closely and uniformlyset. Thesejets, as they strike, spread out on said surface and constantly keep theoil Jtherefroman ,efi ect which they would not produce if turned aside,as the force of the steam would be broken and it would be turned upwardby reason of the liquid nature and' lack of viscidity of the oilsforwhich the apparatus is designed.

I claim as my invention In combination with the. still for treatinghydrocarbon oils, a steam-pipe within said still arranged tosubstantially cover the surface exposed to the heat, the said pipe beingplaced close to said surface and being provided with dischargerorificesopening directly against the saidsurface, whereby the jets of steam arecaused to impinge directly on the surface to beprotected, as and for.the pur pose set forth. 1

In testimonyzwhereoflehavesignedm y name to this specification 'in :thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

ROSS J'. HOFFMAN. Witnesses G. W BALLOCH, QHAS. L.-STIIRTEVANT.

